Process of filling zinc-retorts.



No. 851,668. PATENTED APR. so, 19o?.

J. DLJAMBS. PROCESS 0F FILLING zI-NG RBTORTS.

APPLICATION FILED HOV. 12. 1906.

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wnNEssEsf: fom. Ja mes -N0. 851,668. PATENTED APR. 30, 1907.

4 J. D. JAMES. PROCESS 0F FILLING ZINC RVETORTS.

APPLIUATION Hmm Nov. 12. 190s.

` z SHEETS-SHEET 2,

. ATTORNEYS FFNT OFFICE.

JOI-IN D. JAMES, OF PULASKI, VIRGINIA.

PROCESS OF FILLING Z|NC-RETORTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

fatented April 30,' 190.7.

Original application filed January 3, 1906, Serial N o. 294,408. Divided and this application filed November 12, 1906. Serial T' all whom t 711x147/concern,.-

Be ,it known that I, JOHN D. JAMES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pulaski, State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for Filling Zinc-Retorts with Granular Material, of which the following is a full, clear, and complete disclosure.

T is part of my invention, relates to the recess for filling zinc retorts, and is particuarly applicable to the packing or filling of retorts for reducing or smelting zinc ore.

This application is a division of my prior application, Serial No. 2$)-'1,408, filed January 3, 1906, which describes and illustrates the apparatus and process which are described and illustrated in this application.

Heretofore, the packing of zinc retorts has usually been accomplished by hand and was not only a slow process, but also resulted in packing the material unevenly within the retort.

' The object of this invention is to provide a method for packing zinc retorts and similar receptacles, which not only can be easily carried out, but will also introduce the material into the retort evenly and compactly throughout its whole cross-sectional area, but will also result in a great saving of time. In the drawings forming a portion of this vspecification and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts `in the several views, Figure 1 is an elevational View showing the apparatus for carrying out the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the delivery tube extended.

Referrinfr now to the drawings, there is shown a plurality of retorts 5 located in a zinc smelting furnace and disposed with their open ends turned in a common direction and arranged in horizontal series. A beam 6 is located above the retorts and secured to this beam, there is a horizontal cylindrical conveyer casing 7 mounted in the frame S which depends from the beam 6 and this frame includes upwardly extending side portions 9, the upper edges of which form tracks upon which rest rollers 10 carried by the up- Wardly extending side portions 11 of a hopper 12. These side portions 11 lie at oppositesides of the casing 7, as will be seen, and in the casing, there is located a revoluble screw 13 which cooperates With the casing 7 to form a screw conveyer to feed the mate rial being treated to the hopper 12. The shaft carries a pulley 14, as shown. A chute 15 is arranged to discharge into the conveyer 7 at the feed end thereof and is located in position to receive material to be treated from an elevator 16 of the bucket type, the upper sprocket 17 of the elevator being journaled upon the frame 8.

The hopper 12 lies beneath the conveyer casing 7, as shown, and has connected therewith a tube 18 Which includes a plurality of telescopin(Y sections 19, (the inner one of which preferably extends at right angles as shown,) and thus permits of longitudinal extension of the tube. The arrangement is such that the lower ortion of the tube may also be revolved wit respect to the hopper 12. The lower end portion of the tube is turned laterally and is tapered to form a discharge nozzle 20. A pipe 21 enters the tube 18 horizontally and extends into the nozzle 2O from. the tube and this pipe has a flexible connection 22 with a source of fluid under' pressure 23. The ipe 21 has a valve 24 for regulation ol' this ow of fluid therethrough and a handle is carried by the inner section of the tube.

The tube 18 extends downwardly in front of the open ends of the retorts and may be moved vertically, as shown, to position its nozzle before any desired horizontal series of retorts and the ho per and tube are movable longitudinally of t 1e conveyer casing 7, as will be understood, to position the nozzle before any one of the retorts.

A plurality of openings 26 are formed in the lower portion of the conveyer casinir 7 and are provided with closures 27, movable into and out of operative position. These openings permit of passage of material from the crmveyer into the hopper from whichv such imiterial will pass into the nozzle and will be blown therefrom by the blasts from the pipe 21 and into the retort before which the nozzle is positioned.

The fluid used is supplied to the pipes 21 and 22 under comparatively high pressure, so that the jet will have sullioient force to pack the zinc ore within the retort evenly and firmly and so as to fill its entire interior space and its entire cross section.

It will be understood that the material to IOO be placed in the retorts is transferred to the conveyer 13 by means of the elevator 16, and it will be understood that the present apparatus may be used in connectionA with receptacles other than retorts for smelting zinc What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: l

l. The process of packing or filling retorts, which comprises, causing a jet of fluid to be directed into the retort longitudinally thereof, introducing into the said jet a constant supply of the material to be treated, said jet being of such force as to ack said material firmly and evenly Within t e Whole cross section of said retort.

2. The process of filling or packing retorts, which comprises causing a jet of fluid to be ected axially into the retort, introducing into said jet a constant supply of the material to be treated, said jet bem of such force as to pack said material firm y and evenly Within the Whole cross section of said retort.

3. The process ofpacking or. filling laterally positioned retorts, which comprises, causing a jet of fluid to be directed substantially horizontally into the retort, introducing into said jet a constant supply of the material to be treated, said jet being of such force as to pack said material firmly and evenly Within the Whole cross section of said retort.

4. The process of packing or filling retorts for treating zinc ores, While said retorts are in their normal positions Within the furnace, which comprises causing a jet of fluid, carrying the ore to be treated, to be directed longitudinally into the retort With sufIicient force to pack said ore firmly and evenly Within the Whole cross section of said retort.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 5th day of November 1906, in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

JOHN D. JAMES.

Witnesses:

D. W. BARNARD, B. F. GARNETT. 

